All eyes on President Trump as he prepares for first State of the Union address

Advertisement

Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like.

Email This Story

Send email to this addressEnter Your NameAdd a comment hereVerification

President Trump is expected to address issues such as immigration, the rise in economic success and brag about his deal-making ability in the reopening of the government. He has already hinted at saying this address will follow his “off-the-cuff” style of speech. This address comes after the recent government shutdown.

Trump will enter in today’s speech following a tumultuous first year in office. Having faced questions of Russian collusion, constant media controversy and a lack of ability to pass much of his agenda in his first year, the president will look to reassure the nation of his administration’s success.

In an interview this past Tuesday, the president told Fox & Friends, “All I can do is speak from the heart and say what I want to do.”

Many are wondering what the tone of the address will be. The last time the president gave a speech of this magnitude was his inauguration, where many say the president had a grim or bleak tone. According to the New York Post, the president’s staff is urging him to bring a much more positive tone this time.

In 2010, President Barrack Obama similarly addressed the nation in what was seen as his first State of the Union address. Trump and Obama will have faced two entirely different nations after today’s address. Obama was received with an overwhelming amount of excitement and optimism going into his first speech.

According to a Time Magazine poll, Obama in his first year as president had a 67 percent approval rating. The highest first year approval rating since President Jimmy Carter. In that same poll President Trump had a 45 percent rating, being the lowest since Carter.

Obama did face a much more anxious nation due to the economic crisis that he stepped into. Compare that to Trump where many American’s believe that the economy is doing well and is on the rise. In a poll by CBS News, 39 percent of American’s believe Trump’s economic policies are responsible for the state of the economy.

One piece of legislation that will surely be touted as Trump and the Republican’s biggest success will be the GOP Tax Cut Plan passed in December. It’s still too early to see the effects that this piece of legislation will have on America, but one can be sure that it will be a main talking point during the address.

For Trump, looking forward to healthcare will be on a list of many issues. He has continued to reiterate his crusade to end the Affordable Care Act, and with added legislation to the Tax Cut Plan, the Republicans were able to end the individual mandate required by the Affordable Care Act.

A deal that may change the direction of the speech will be between Trump and the Democrats. Will the Democrats decide to fund Trump’s border wall? A campaign promise that he has made since day one of his campaign.

On Thursday, the president gave Democrats an ultimatum. In exchange for the protection of the dreamers and a path to citizenship, they will help end family-based migration policies, the border wall and a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Depending on what happens with that deal could determine the tone and direction of Trump’s speech. What can be expected of the president will be the braggadocios rhetoric Americans have grown used to.

From the economy to the crime rate or immigration policies, the president will be sure to tout his administration’s successes. What will be interesting to see is if the president will address gun violence. After the tragic school shooting in Marshall County, Kentucky the president has still not released a formal response.